Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM NOVEMBER 2018 52 W hile I'm sure I say this every year, there were some monumental changes, announcements, and exciting happenings at CEDIA. This year's September event was no exception. Here are a few trends we see ahead for the CI market. TREND #1 – THE CONVERGENCE OF THE APPLIANCE AND CI WORLD We started to see a shift in some of the demographic in the CEDIA channel — not in the people attending the show but in some of the vendors on the show floor. For the first time we saw several kitchen and bath vendors like Kohler and others, but we also saw the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA). What does this shift mean for the CI dealer as well as the hybrid CI/retail dealer? If you're paying attention (as we are) you're starting to see the appliance, kitchen, and bath manufacturers working up to what the CI channel has been talking about and doing for years. The convergence of the appliance side of the business with the custom install and automation side has been talked about for several years, and this year we're starting to see that convergence. Get ready for more appliance and kitchen and bath vendors at CEDIA, which isn't a bad thing. TREND #2 – LIGHTING Lighting is coming of age and seeing better integration, easier installation, and more options for installers and consumers alike. A couple of trends in the lighting business that are important: 1) Low-voltage lighting like LumaStream—New options for fixtures and easier installation and integration are great innovations for the custom installation market. 2) Traditional high-voltage lighting with a twist: Noon lighting— Some of the smartest light switches with great industrial design make this an exciting product. TREND #3 – 8K 8K is coming… WAIT, it's here! Several panel companies showed 8K this year, and as of this writing you can pre-order to expect delivery around the end of the year. Anytime there's new technology in panels, it's a good thing for the market—it's something to talk about with customers. With good 8K source material, this could be good for the market for several years. We just need the studios to back the format and get the content into the market. TREND #4 – AVAD AVAD and Wave merge! With two of the best distributors in the custom install business coming together, this can only be a good thing and mean great things ahead for us all. At Nationwide, we've had a business relationship with AVAD for several years which was strengthened this past summer with a new program for our members. Now add WAVE into the mix and it's just that much better! I'm sure there are many more items that bear mentioning, but these are a few of the highlights and trends that we're heavily invested in at Nationwide. Dave Workman Consumer Electronic Trends Dave Workman is CEO and President of the ProSource Buying Group. RO THE CHANGES AND TRENDS AT CEDIA

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